the new baghdad security plan is in effect now and despite a pair of bombs yesterday it has been going smoothly. on saturday reuters was reporting that only five bodies had been found in the city (when a typical day would bring 50 dead bodies). there is still a long way to go. most of the sectarian violence makers are hiding out in iran (that is kind of like harboring terrorism) and could be waiting for the surge to be over or overly excited american forces withdrawal. time will tell.
either way it goes i hope and pray that for these people there is peace. it has to be tiring to have your guard up constantly and feel trapped in your own neighborhood. one of the first things i plan on doing when i get back to dc is taking a good long run covering several miles of unencumbered terrain. the people that live here can not do that without extreme danger of going through the wrong neighborhood.
sectarian violence is ridiculous. the western world most recent acts of this violence have been in ireland but in american history i am not aware of violence between different sects of the same religion (and maybe i have missed something).
in other news, secretary of state rice visited on saturday. i had the great pleasure of working with the press at the meeting with the iraqi prime minister. it was a good experience and one of those "i was there" moments.
just 30 days left for me in iraq. it will turn out to be longer than the original planned 3 months but worth it.
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